The Remarried Empress

The Remarried Empress is one of the best-known romance fantasy stories to come out of South Korea. It started as a web novel by the writer Alphatart, posted on Naver Web Novel from 2018 to 2020. The novel was read tens of millions of times. A webtoon (a Korean comic made to read on a phone) drawn by the artist Sumpul began on Naver Webtoon in 2019. In English, Yen Press prints the books. The story is also very popular in Japan, where the comic ranked second in LINE Manga's yearly ranking for 2023. Its Japanese title is Saikon Shounin wo Youkyuu Shimasu.

The story is set in two powerful lands, the Eastern Empire and the Western Empire. The main character is Navier, the wise and proper empress of the East. She is married to Emperor Sovieshu, and they have known each other since they were children. Navier takes her duties very seriously. She works hard to run the palace and help rule the land, and she rarely shows her feelings in public.

Trouble begins because the couple has no child. Sovieshu brings a young woman named Rashta into the palace as his mistress, hoping she will give him an heir. Rashta was once a runaway slave. Over time, Sovieshu grows more and more devoted to her, and he pushes Navier aside. Then he asks Navier for a divorce, telling her it will only be for a short time.

Around this time, Navier becomes friends with Heinrey, a charming prince from the Western Empire. He has secrets of his own, and real feelings start to grow between them. When the day of the divorce comes, Navier surprises everyone. She agrees to end her marriage, but she has one condition: she wants approval to marry Heinrey. That bold choice, which gives the story its name, is only the start. From there, Navier works to take control of her own path while palace politics, rivals, and romance pull her in many directions.

What makes the story stand out is its calm, smart heroine. Navier does not cry or beg. She thinks carefully and acts with dignity, even when she is hurt. Readers enjoy seeing her stand up for herself in a court full of gossip and power games. The story mixes drama, fantasy, and slow-burn romance.

This entry is the Japanese TV anime version. It was announced at Crunchyroll's panel at New York Comic Con 2026 and is planned for 2027, with Crunchyroll streaming it. The studio is Troyca, with Hayate handling overall production. Tetsuya Yanagisawa directs, Akiko Inoue writes the series scripts, Jun Nakai designs the characters, and Yuki Fukazawa writes the music. The voice cast includes Yoko Hikasa as Navier, Ryohei Kimura as Heinrey, Tomoaki Maeno as Sovieshu, and Reina Ueda as Rashta. A separate Korean live-action drama of the same story starts on Disney+ in November 2026.